128 Hazelton boasts a modern take on a classic design in Toronto’s Yorkville

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Sep 30, 2016

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Toronto’s condo boom has seen the addition of soaring glass and steel towers fighting for a place in the city’s ever changing skyline. But at a time when these modern point towers are dominating the condo market, Sam Mizrahi and the team at Mizrahi Developments has introduced something different in the city’s desirable Yorkville neighbourhood. Known for creating timeless and classically designed residences like Lytton Park Townhomes, Mizrahi has brought his eye for elegant and innovative architecture to a stretch of Davenport Road just north of the famous Mink Mile.

“128 Hazelton is the last of its kind on Hazelton,” says Sam Mizrahi, President of Mizrahi Developments. “There’s no more land available and the heritage overlay on Hazelton Avenue put in place by the Heritage Conservation District doesn’t allow you to build anything else, so this truly is the last product of its kind.”

In developing the final building in his boutique community, Mizrahi wanted to create something that could fit cohesively with the first two buildings, but also had its own soul. A building that would provide a fluid transition along Davenport Road and Hazelton Avenue, create a sense of understated elegance and appear like it always belonged there.

Inspired by the old-world craftsmanship and architecture in European cities like Paris and Vienna, Mizrahi partnered with Toronto-based AUDAX Architecture whose “Human Architecture” design philosophy matched his vision for the site. The approach plays homage to the past by incorporating elements of traditional architecture with today’s modern aesthetic.

“Human Architecture is really the marriage of the best elements of traditional design with a modern aesthetic so it’s kind of a hybrid,” explains Gianpiero Pugliese, Founding Principal at AUDAX Architecture. “It asks how do you build today with a respect for the past and take the best elements from that historical architecture and make it work with our contemporary lifestyles and needs?”

The result is a final design that gives a nod to the neighbourhood’s rich history by displaying a modern interpretation of a classical 19th century building. Taking cues from the Haussmannian architecture that line the boulevards of Paris, the nine-storey mid-rise boasts a timeless profile with natural stone cladding, metal accents, large windows and chamfered stonework.

“We wanted to create a modern version of that architecture,” says Pugliese. “We stripped down some of the ornamental elements that exemplified some of the architecture and replaced it with a more contemporary approach while keeping the proportions and the harmony of the design.”

The massing and overall scale of the structure pays respect to the previous phases of the community and features a similar stepped design on the sixth and ninth floors softened by integrated planter boxes. The height of the building is slightly shorter than 181 Davenport and slightly taller than 133 Hazelton creating a fluid transition from building to building.

The south side of the structure will have conventional balconies and terraces while the facade facing Davenport and Hazelton will have a mix of Juliet balconies and winter gardens.

“The winter gardens are basically bi-folding doors that open up with a curved railing,” says Pugliese. “They create an indoor/outdoor room by allowing residents to open the doors and effectively be on a veranda.” At ground level, 128 Hazelton is characterized by a curved facade facing Davenport Road and a rich pallette of masonry punctuated by glazing. The design fosters a pleasant pedestrian experience and connection with the public realm — something that Pugliese believes is not often done in Toronto.

“The way a building relates to the ground plane is something that I’m very passionate about,” says Pugliese. “Oftentimes you see a sheet of glass coming down and the threshold between the public realm and the private realm is very stark. So for 128 Hazelton, it’s about being dynamic, tactile and permanent. It’s a more authentic and timeless way of making architecture that in 100 years will still look good.”

128 Hazelton is now over 50 per cent sold with construction anticipated to start in 2017. To learn more about the development visit 128hazelton.ca to register.